About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts. He was senior editor of news in the ’90s, ran MPR’s political unit, created the MPR News regional website, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day laments that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.

NewsCut is a blog featuring observations about the news. It provides a forum for an online discussion and debate about events that might not typically make the front page. NewsCut posts are not news stories.

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I am so glad it’s over. I have felt like I am living in a police state for the past week. I live two blocks off W. 7th, so I have been able to witness quite a bit from my home, and I have been mortified by the excessive use of force and fear tactics police used, especially with journalists. We had the fortune of having two independent journalists stay with us, and they had the misfortune of being arrested for simply trying to do their job (their arrest videos prove they did nothing wrong). I had higher hopes for St. Paul and for free speech- I have seen a lot of civil liberties trampled on and really lost faith in the people’s ability to disagree (peacefully) with government. Even more disturbing is how the journalists report they were treated in the jail- constantly dehumanized by the guards. I feel like I have been living in a foreign country under occupation. I certainly did not feel personally safer as a result of the police presence; It was clear that they were NOT here to protect me and mine. I have never experienced anything like this. I am a peace advocate, but I am slowly beginning to understand why normally peaceful people in occupied countries grow to resent their occupants and a police state and may react with anger and violence. The response by law enforcement was really counter-productive. I wonder how the city of St. Paul plans to respond to those of us who feel this way, and to restore faith in the local law enforcement?